Veteran makes season debut, scores 9

PHILADELPHIA — A young team was desperately looking for a win — any win — to build toward a future. An older player was desperately looking for a way — any way — to prove he had one, too.

The Magic and Al Harrington got together at last to post an emotional 98-84 rout of the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night at Wells Fargo Center.

Finally, a feel-good story for a snake-bit Magic franchise.

Tearing up and nervous as he stepped on the court for the first time since last May, Harrington scored all nine of his points in the fourth quarter to steady the wobbly Magic for their first win in six games.

The Magic had lost 28 of their past 31 games, full-steam ahead to the draft lottery. Critics wondered if they would win a game the rest of the season.

A 14-year veteran, Harrington answered doubters who whispered his career was over after routine knee surgery 10 months ago turned complicated.

He finally saw was his first action since arriving from the Denver Nuggets in the trade for Dwight Howard in August.

After misfiring his first three attempts in the opening period, Harrington, 33, scored his first points in his long-awaited Magic debut on a jumper and a 3-pointer to start the fourth quarter. He hit 4-of-7 shots in all, wearing a bulky, gold-colored knee brace.

Then again, Harrington is a career 14.2 points-per-game scorer. "That's what I do. I may not be one of the greatest power forwards ever. But in situations where my team needs shots, I'm not afraid," he said.

His two shots — and a jumper by 20-year-old DeQuan Jones — blunted a Sixers' rally that had cut a 17-point Magic lead to seven at 68-61 after three quarters.

Orlando then got big buckets from Milwaukee Bucks alumni Beno Udrih and Tobias Harris — both acquired last week in the J.J. Redick trade — to turn back the Sixers (22-33) for good.

The Magic (16-41) shot the ball well (53.9 percent) and played unselfishly (33 assists on 41 baskets).

They placed six players in double figures: Arron Afflalo and Harris (16 points each); Andrew Nicholson (13); Nik Vucevic and E'Twaun Moore (12 apiece); and Maurice Harkless (10). Vucevic added 19 rebounds, and would have had 20. But teammate Harris grabbed it from him to the surprise of Vucevic and the Magic bench.

"I didn't even know what was happening," said Vucevic, smiling.

It was a night when no one in the Magic locker room could be upset. Not after seeing Harrington's ear-to-ear comeback grin.

"I'm just so happy," Harrington said. "I finally got back on the court. I felt I could play another two, three years. I just wanted to prove it to people."

Harrington even laughed about air-balling a shot. He also wasn't ashamed to admit he shed tears as he entered the game late in the first period.

He played his last game on May 12, 2012, scoring 24 points for the Nuggets against the L.A. Lakers in a Game 7 first-round playoff loss.

Harrington underwent arthroscopic surgery for a torn meniscus six days after the playoffs. He then developed a staph infection. He had four more surgeries to clean out the area over 10 weeks, which left collateral damage.

"One game for me now," he said, "is like playing a championship game."

For Al Harrington and the Magic, there was nothing regular about this regular-season win.